Environmental Controls: Dust, Noise, Water and Waste
Dust
Quarry dust includes respirable crystalline silica, which causes silicosis and is a legal and health priority. Controls follow the hierarchy: suppress at source (water sprays, enclosures, extraction), then administrative controls, then respiratory protective equipment fitted and face-fit tested. Dust also affects neighbours and wildlife - monitor and manage visible and fugitive dust, and consider weather (wind, dry spells).
Noise
Noise comes from crushers, screens, reversing alarms and blasting. Control at source (silencers, enclosures, maintenance), then layout and barriers, then hearing protection and signage. Assess exposure and consider neighbours and hours of working.
Water
Site water must be managed: settlement lagoons and silt traps before discharge, control of run-off, prevention of fuel and oil contamination, and bunded storage of oils and chemicals. Discharge may need a permit or consent - never assume a ditch is a free drain. Spill kits and procedures must be available.
Waste
Segregate waste, store it securely, and send it for authorised recovery or disposal with the correct documentation. Hazardous wastes (oils, batteries, contaminated rags) need separate handling.
Traps
- PPE is not the first control for dust or noise - engineering comes first.
- "Dilution is the solution" is wrong: silt-laden water must be settled, not flushed.
- Environmental incidents must be reported like safety incidents.
Worked example
After heavy rain, lagoon water is turbid. Do not discharge. Allow settlement, check the outlet, and only discharge within consent limits, recording the check.
Communication, Teamwork and Supervisory Responsibilities
Communication that works
In a noisy, high-hazard site, communication must be reliable: radios with agreed channels, standard signals, briefings and toolbox talks, and confirmation that the message was understood. "I told them" is not communication; the test is whether the receiver understood and acted. Language, literacy, hearing protection and noise all affect this - check understanding, don't assume it.
Teamwork and handover
Shift handovers must pass on hazards, defects, isolations in place and work in progress. Teamwork means looking out for each other, speaking up, and intervening when something is unsafe. Stop-work authority applies to everyone, regardless of rank.
Supervisory responsibilities
The supervisor must ensure competence and authorisation, that procedures are followed, that the right controls are in place, and that defects and incidents are reported. The supervisor sets the tone: shortcuts tolerated become the norm. Supervisors must also ensure contractors are inducted and controlled.
Traps
- Assuming a message was received because it was sent.
- Supervisors doing the task themselves instead of ensuring it is done safely.
- Failing to record handover of isolations and defects.
Rule of thumb
Brief it, check understanding, record what matters, and follow up.
Worked example
Handing over a night shift with a conveyor isolated for repair: state which conveyor, which lock and tag, who holds the key, what is incomplete, and what must not be started. The incoming supervisor confirms understanding and records it.